The two stories you should be telling

As speakers we tend to focus solely on our story. But there are two stories you should be telling – yours, and THEIRS.

While your story is important, it’s not enough. I see many speakers telling their stories and never once include the audience. As speakers we are there for THEM.

We are there to teach them, encourage them, inspire them, empower them. And if you can find a way to make your speech about them, even when it’s about you, you hit the target.

But if we don’t know them, how do we tell their story?

While we don’t know their exact situation, there are certain situations that are universal to everybody.

And so when you tell your story about your experience in that area (not where you succeeded, but where you failed or experienced pain) then you start to tell theirs.

While you are telling your story, they are traveling into their own life and experiencing their story. It’s quite powerful.

Finding Stories America Loves

The key to finding stories that relate to your audience, is to think about experiences that we all have in common, or experiences that you already know will elicit an emotion. (Think of the posts you see on Facebook and what kinds of posts get a stronger reaction/comment thread.)

I put together a list of the types of stories that America loves.

I say America, because it’s part of our culture.

If you’re speaking outside the US, then you have to look at their culture and their frame of reference. By the way….this also works when you’re writing humor. Write humor based on the odd things we all experience together.

Stories America Loves

Stories of humble beginnings

Rags to riches stories

Stories of overcoming great odds

Stories about animals

Stories about children

Stories about children with disabilities

Stories about a cause they are concerned with

Stories about relationships

Stories about first love

Stories about other firsts – first car, first job, first date

Stories about their culture

Stories about their people

Stories about their group/industry/members

Stories about their history

Stories about marriage

Stories about parenting

Stories about history

Stories about famous people / celebrities

Stories about people who impacted your life personally

Stories about times that you really messed up

Stories that point out your weaknesses and foibles

Stories about your childhood

Stories about your culture

Stories when you had a tough decision to make

Stories when things didn’t go your way

Stories of your success after great hardship

Funny stories

Suspenseful stories

Stories about your failures and what they taught you

I’m sure there are more stories that I’m not thinking of. But this list should give you an endless amount of stories.

Good luck!

Kelly

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Kelly Swanson is an award-winning storyteller, motivational speaker, published author and TV personality who is passionate about helping women harness the power of their stories to connect, influence, and get the results they dream of accomplishing. Laughing the whole way, Kelly teaches women how to master the art of connection through the power of strategic storytelling. You can find her on The Fashion Hero show airing Fall of 2017 on Amazon Prime.

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